Nelson, Rogers optioned to the minors

SURPRISE, Ariz. — No big news, but worthy of a few sentences in a blog. …

Jim Tracy can relate to young players being returned to the minor league camp. He bounced around professional baseball for eight years, logging more than 2,000 ABs in the minors and only 185 in the big leagues.

In Tracy’s perfect world, the major league team wouldn’t farm out any young players. But then, it isn’ta perfect world. Thus, infielder Chris Nelson and right-hander Esmil Rogers have been optioned to the minor league camp.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.